


By Any Other Name

by Kitsune_Moonstar



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-11
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-04 23:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 9,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/716068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitsune_Moonstar/pseuds/Kitsune_Moonstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When her father dies, Riza is left in a bad situation. That is until Roy Mustang, her father's student, comes up with a plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Grief Shared

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own FMA or its characters. Spoilers for Hawkeye and Mustang's past. This is AU.

**Grief Shared**

Roy thanked every deity that he knew of that he had decided to give talking his teacher into giving him the secrets of fire alchemy one more time. If Riza had notified him of her father's death, he would have been there as soon as he could, but he would not have wanted her to deal with this on her own. He took the kettle off the stove, quietly fixing tea for them both. The doctor was pronouncing Hawkeye-sensei.

"Riza?" He pressed the mug into her hands. "What to you need?"

"I'm fine, Mister Mustang. Really." She shivered.

Roy retrieved his overcoat from the hall closet and wrapped it around her shoulders before guiding her into a chair. "I know you better than that, Riza. I'm here for you. Just let me know what you need."

Doctor Carlson returned before she had a chance to reply. "I'll send someone to pick up the body tomorrow, Miss Hawkeye. I can't take it tonight. I'll do my best to keep this quiet until you've made arrangements, but it won't be too long before it is public knowledge."

And with that he took his leave. Roy watched Riza, pale and withdrawn, as she bit her lip.

"Riza?"

"Father was deeply in debt. He made some arrangements, but I don't think they last past his death." She looked up at him. "I can't afford a funeral, Mister Mustang. I doubt I will even have this house at the end of the week."

She rubbed her eyes, brushing away tears that hadn't fallen yet. He caught her hand and knelt beside her.

"We'll take care of things. I'm not going anywhere."

He held her when she started to really cry, and Riza found she wasn't the only one in tears.


	2. Quiet Early Morning

**Quiet Early Morning**

The morning after her father's death, Riza woke to an empty bed shortly after dawn. She frowned, remembering the warmth next to her. She pulled a housecoat on and headed downstairs. Roy was in the kitchen, puttering around the stove. He held out a mug of tea and gestured for her to take a seat. He didn't try to make conversation. Riza was grateful for that. She didn't want to talk, not right now. Her father was dead. He might not have been much of a father, but he was all she had.

A plate of waffles was placed in front of her. Roy smiled and held out the pitcher of syrup. He sat across from her, eating quietly. It was only when the meal was finished and the dishes washed that Roy spoke.

"We need to talk, Riza." He gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I need to know what your situation here is. I can make arrangements for the funeral. That's no problem, but I don't want to leave you without what you need."

"I told you Father was deeply in debt. The house and it contents won't be enough to settle the debt." She hesitated; she was not supposed to know what she did, but she didn't think Roy would care. At least, not about the fact that she had been eavesdropping. "There was an offer to Father a few months ago. My hand in marriage for the relief of the debts. He refused. I expect the offer will either be extended to me personally or through a lawyer now."

Mustang's hands wrapped around hers. "Do you want to marry him?"

"No." The answer came easily. "I may not have a choice though. I have very little in the way of job skills, and the military does not accept women. I have very little in the way of options."

He squeezed her hands. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." There was no question about that. She had known the moment he returned that she trusted him enough to give him her father's secrets. She had planned to even if her father had refused.

"Then trust me. I won't let you be forced into anything you don't want." He smiled at her and pulled her into a hug. "Now what we need is a plan…"


	3. Falling Rain

**Falling Rain**

It was a small internment. No one from the town attended. It was really just himself, Riza, and the officiant. Roy wasn't sure the gravediggers counted. Richard Hawkeye was buried beside his wife Elizabeth under grey skies. Their daughter stood straight and tall without a single tear throughout the ceremony. It was only when they left were alone at the grave that Riza's composure wavered. Roy watched, unsure of what to do, as silent tears trickled down her cheeks.

She wiped them away with the back of her hand. "What will you do now, Mister Mustang?"

He had a feeling she wasn't referring to his plans to keep her out of an unwanted marriage. "I'll probably be in the military for life."

She frowned, still staring ahead at the graves.

Roy sighed, feeling the need to explain. "I know there's a chance that in this occupation I could die and be abandoned like a piece of trash. But if I could become of this country's foundation stones and protect everyone with these hands, I think I'll be happy."

A wistful little smile played about her lips. "I think it's a wonderful dream."

"That's the reason I learned alchemy."

"The secrets my father left behind. He said they were written in a code no average alchemist would be able to decipher." Riza spoke hesitantly. "They're not manuscripts. He said it would be a problem if his life's research disappeared or was taken by an outsider."

"Riza?" He wasn't sure what she was getting at.

"Is it all right to believe in a future where everyone can live in happiness? Can I entrust my back to that dream?" She still hadn't looked at him.

He turned to her. "I believe so."

Riza slid her hand into his. "We should go in before it rains."


	4. Secrets and Plans

**Secrets and Plans**

Riza was silent as she led Roy back into the house. She wasn't entirely sure how to bring up her father's research with him. It wasn't like she could say 'I have my father's research. It's tattooed to my back.' Well, she could say that but it didn't really seem appropriate.

Roy had put the kettle on the stove and was starting dinner. He quietly puttered around the kitchen while she groped for the right words. Roy set a cup of tea down in front of her.

"We need to talk, Riza. I won't let you be forced into a marriage that you don't want, but we need to come up with some sort of plan." He ran a hand through his hair. "I think Riza Hawkeye is going to need to disappear."

She nodded. It made sense.

"There are a couple of ways to do this. The easiest legal way to change your name is marriage." He sighed. "But we don't have to do that. There are other ways to change your name, just a little more complicated. The real problem is what are you going to do afterwards. It is a shame that military doesn't accept women. You could probably run rings around most of the other cadets."

She smiled a little at that. "I had thought about disguising myself as a boy, but I couldn't pull that off on my own. But Roy, about my father's research--"

He squeezed her shoulder. "I want you safe first. Then we can worry about that."

There was hesitation in his voice when he continued. "I don't want you to think you have to give me your father's research. I mean, I would like you to, but it's your choice, Riza. It's your inheritance. You could even destroy it if you want."

She shook her head. "I know, Roy. I trust you."

Roy looked like he wanted to kiss her. She wouldn't have minded that, but Mustang just smiled awkwardly. "It's a good idea, disguising yourself as a boy. I think we could make that work. I know some people. There is still the matter of making Riza Hawkeye disappear though. I suppose we could fake her death, but that doesn't leave you the option of ever returning as yourself."

Riza mulled over the problem, her mind tripping over his earlier comment. She would only know if she asked. "You said I didn't have to use marriage to change my name if I didn't want to. What if I did want to? Was…was that an offer?"

He froze wide-eyed. "I…Riza…I…yes. If you want to do this, I would be honored to marry you. I've never met anyone else who I would want to spend my life with, but the decision is yours."

She nodded. "Yes, I want to marry you. No one else has ever treated me as my own person and an equal like you do. I'm not sure I'll ever find anyone who does."

There was a moment of silence between them. Roy slipped his hand into hers, squeezing it gently.

"We can't get married here, you know. In fact, we should probably leave as quickly and quietly as possible." He sighed. "How much time do you need here?"

"Just tomorrow. We should be able leave tomorrow night." It wouldn't take her long to pack her things. There wasn't much here that she wanted to keep.

With a deep breath, Riza reached for the fastening on her jacket. Roy needed to know about the array. She slipped her arms out of the jacket, turning to face him.

"I want you to have my father's research, Roy. I know would use it well."

She turned, slipping the jacket off her shoulders. There was a sharp intake of breath behind her, and an arm wrapped itself around her waist, pulling her tight up against Roy's chest in a backwards hug. A kiss was pressed to the nape of her neck.

"I'm sorry, Riza." There was something sad in his voice. "He should have never done this to you."

She turned puzzled, trying to meet his eyes. A pair of dark eyes met hers.

"You're his daughter, Riza, not notebook paper. There are people who would kill for this." His arms tightened around her. "I would rather not have the information than have this done to you."

He sounded torn between fury and sorrow. She twisted in his arm, hands comings up to frame his face, and kissed him. His mouth opened under hers, and for a moment, Riza forgot everything except the heat between them. Roy broke away, gasping for breath.

"I won't betray your trust, Riza. I promise."


	5. Rhythm of the Rails

**Rhythm of the Rails**

Riza leaned against Roy's shoulder, letting the sound of the train wheels and the beating of his heart lull her into a half awake state. They were headed for Central, a trip of about a day and a half. One of Roy's friends would pick them up at the station, and from there they would arrange the wedding and start putting together the necessary documentation to convince the military she was a young man enlisting.

Roy shifted, sliding an arm around her. They had left the town under the cover of darkness without telling anyone. It hadn't taken her long to pack up everything she wanted to take with her. With that done, they made their escape. Riza doubted she would return anytime soon, if ever. The only thing that town held for her now was a pair of graves and an offer of marriage she didn't want.

"Riza?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me a chance at my dream. I couldn't do this without you."

She smiled. "I wanted the research to be used for something. I never understood why Father wouldn't use it."

His hand rubbed little circles on her back. "He should have never used you like that."

Riza just leaned into him. "You don't have to marry me, you know. It's okay. We can figure out another way to go this."

Shaking his head, Roy smiled. "I don't mind, Riza. You're not forcing me into this. I care about you too much to let you do that to me."

She yawned a little. Roy kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep, sweetheart. We have plenty of time before we get there."


	6. Introductions and Announcements

**Introductions and Announcements**

Maes picked them up at the station. Roy knew his friend had questions. He had left Central with plans of convincing his former teacher to teach him flame alchemy, so he could become a State Alchemist. The only contact Maes had had with him since then was one phone call with a request to pick them up at the station. Maes had wanted to know who "them" was. Roy hadn't told him. At least, not until now.

"Riza, this is my friend Maes Hughes. Hughes, this is Riza Hawkeye. We're getting married."

Riza smiled, offering a hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Maes shook it, looking dazed. "Miss Hawkeye."

"Riza," she corrected gently. "Roy's told me a lot about you."

He looked startled at that. "Really? I don't think he's mentioned you before."

She just grinned. "Did he tell you the story about the girl who beat him and the rest of the boys with a sling-shot?"

"That was you?"

She nodded. Roy was just relieved that it seemed to break the tension some. They would need Maes help for this. He just wasn't quite sure how to properly explain the situation to his best friend. It was a little more complicated than just a the two of them getting married, and given what a romantic his best friend was, Roy wasn't sure how Maes would take the reasoning behind the marriage. It wasn't exactly two lovers uniting in the bonds of marriage, but then it wasn't exactly a marriage of convenience either.

He and Riza were something to each other. Roy just didn't know what exactly that something was. He loved her, but it wasn't the love between siblings. Riza had never really been like a sister to him. It wasn't exactly romantic love either, though it might have become that if they had been given the chance. But Professor Hawkeye had insisted he keep his distance from Riza, something that made sense given the array tattoo upon her back, and Roy had never really given the idea too much thought. At least, not until he had come back. When she had opened the door that night, it had been like seeing her for the first time again, and Roy had found himself thinking of her as something more than one of his dearest friends.

"So where are you staying, Riza?"

She shrugged. "I was just going to stay at a hotel. I probably won't be in Central too long."

Maes frowned at that. "I have another idea. My girlfriend has an extra room in her apartment. She's love some company, and if you won't be in town for long, it's perfect."

Roy met Riza's eyes and she nodded slightly.

"Thanks, Maes."

"No problem."

The drive was mostly silent. Maes escorted the two of them up the third floor of the building.

"Gracia, I brought guests."

A young woman with short ash blond hair opened the door with a smile. "Maes!"

Roy exchanged an awkward smile with Riza as Maes enthusiastically greeted his girlfriend. When his best friend finally disentangled himself from his girlfriend, Roy smiled at the green eyed woman and offered his hand.

"You must be Gracia. Maes can't stop talking about you."

She blushed. "That must make you Roy. And who's this?"

"Riza Hawkeye." She held out a hand. "I'm Roy's fiancée."

"Gracia Isley. Come inside, and I'll fix some tea."


	7. Promises

**Promises**

Maes Hughes was worried. Roy had left Central with plans of convincing his alchemy teacher to finish teaching him the secrets of flame alchemy, so he could become a State Alchemist. He had returned with a fiancée Maes had never heard of and not a word about the State exams. Something was up. It was the fiancée part that bothered him the most. In his experience, Roy didn't last beyond the second or third date, mostly because Roy tended to get bored. The idea of Roy actually marrying someone was completely foreign.

Still, things hadn't gotten too out of hand yet. There was a still a chance that he could talk Roy out of doing anything stupid. So when Gracia went to show Riza the guest room, he snagged his friend for some overdue explanations.

"What's going on here, Roy? What happened to your plans to become a State Alchemist?"

Roy shrugged. "Riza understands and supports my plans. It's complicated, Maes."

"Complicated? Explain."

Roy sighed. "She's my teacher's daughter. He died the day after I arrived."

"And what? She refused to give you his research unless you married her?" It was rather harsh and didn't exactly fit with what little he knew of the woman, but Maes was worried.

Roy's eyes narrowed. "Riza's not like that. She would have given me what I needed no matter what. I just couldn't leave her there. She deserves better for a change."

Roy slumped into a chair. Maes just frowned. "I don't understand."

"Professor Hawkeye was not the best father," Roy's voice was hesitant. "He was also deeply in debt. Before his death, he was approached by one of the richer businessmen in town. The offer was the relief of his debts in exchange for Riza's hand in marriage. To his credit, Hawkeye refused and made other arrangements."

"But?" There had to be more to the story than that.

Roy sighed again. "Those arrangements didn't last past his death, and Riza doesn't have the skills to get a job that would support her living on her own. Not outside of the military at least." His lips quirked into a smile. "Riza has a fantastic shot."

"But the military doesn't take women."

"She knows that, and she was pretty much resigned to having to marry this guy." Roy bit his lip. "I couldn't let her do that. We're going to disguise her as a man, and she's going to enlist, but first we have to make Riza Hawkeye disappear. The easiest way to do that is for her to become Riza Mustang."

Maes took a good look at his friend. He was serious about this. In fact, Maes wasn't sure he'd seen Roy this serious about anything except his alchemy.

"You're certain about this? There are other ways to protect her."

Roy nodded. "We discussed it quite a bit, Maes. We're both sure about this."

He nodded. Gracia and Riza chose that moment to return. Gracia pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Come keep me company while I cook." She smiled at Roy and Riza. "I'm sure you two are exhausted from your trip. Make yourself at home on the couch."

"Are you sure?" Riza started. "It wouldn't be any trouble to help you with dinner."

"Scoot. You can make dinner tomorrow."

He moved to follow the couple, but his girlfriend shook her head. "Give them some time alone. I think Riza is feeling out of place."

"You know."

Gracia nodded. "Riza explained a little. About the marriage at least. There's something more going on, but she's not ready to talk about that yet."

Maes just shook his head, watching the door way. "This isn't a good idea. They're both going to get hurt in the end. I don't think this--"

"Maes."

He turned to find Gracia standing behind him. She held out her hands and let him pull her into his arms.

"They'll be all right. This is right for them." She gave him a mischievous smile. "I'll tell you a secret though. Those two are already in love with each other. They're just not ready to admit it aloud."

He sighed. He hoped she was right. Maes peered out of the kitchen to spot Roy seated at the end of the couch, Riza leaning against him. Their heads were nearly touching as they discussed something in soft tones. A genuine smile lit Roy's face as he spoke with the blond. Maes let out a breath. Maybe this would work out.


	8. Signing Up

**Signing Up**

Roy rest his hand at the small of his wife's back as he ushered her into Lt. General Grumman's office. He still wasn't used to the idea that he had a wife. It had been a brief ceremony. He and Riza had gone down to the courthouse with Maes and Gracia and had been married within fifteen minutes of filling out the paperwork. With that taken care of, it was time them to move to the next part of their plan: enlisting Riza in the military.

"Thank you for seeing us, sir."

The older man beamed at them. "Not a problem, my boy. I take it you have something more in mind than a game of chess."

"Yes, sir. This is my wife, Riza Mustang."

Grumman blinked, studying Riza. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am. Please have a seat."

Riza took the chair in front of his desk, but Roy remained standing behind her.

"Riza wants to join the military, sir." Roy held up a hand to forestall any protests. "We both know it's not allowed. But Riza's marksmanship skills would be a great asset, and we were thinking she could enlist as Richard Hawkeye. We were hoping you would help us avoid the physical examination that goes with her enlistment."

"Why Richard Hawkeye?"

Riza blushed. "Hawkeye was my maiden name. Richard was my father. If I had a brother, he probably would have been named after him."

"You're Elizabeth's daughter." The old man was staring at her in disbelief.

It was Riza's turn to blink.

"You knew my mother?"

"Dear heart, I'm your grandfather. Elizabeth was my only daughter. Her mother never really forgave her for breaking her engagement off and running away with your father. When I got word of her death, I tried to patch things up with Richard, but it was too late for that."

"Oh." Riza looked stunned.

To tell the truth, Roy was more than a little floored himself. Elizabeth Hawkeye had always been a mystery from the time he had arrived at the Hawkeye residence until the time he left. Riza had never known much about her mother either.

Grumman's eyes narrowed. "I think I'd like the whole story from the beginning. Starting with how you two know each other. Then I'll make my decision about helping you."

And to his surprise, Riza actually told the general everything with some added comments from Roy. Well, not exactly everything. The array went unmentioned. Roy could understand that. As long as he and Riza were the only ones who knew about it, she was safe.

"It's a good plan." Grumman nodded slowly. "However, circumstances have changed a little. You should be safe enough with the name change alone, Riza, and your grandmother and I would have no problem with taking you in. It would be our pleasure. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes." There was no mistaking the firmness in her tone. "I think I need to do this, Grandfather. There are things I feel I need to protect, and this will allow me to do so."

Grumman sighed, "All right then. I'll get the enlistment papers together for you. We have a group heading for basic training in two weeks, and if we hurry, I can get you into that."

He smiled at the pair of them. "Now, when are you two free for dinner? I have years of catching up with my granddaughter to do, and not much time to do it in."


	9. Test Anxiety

**Test Anxiety**

Roy nervously wiped his hands on his pants. The practical portion of the State Alchemy test was due to start in ten minutes, and he could feel butterflies doing the cha-cha in his stomach. He was fairly certain that he had passed the written portion with no problems, but this would be the first time he would really use Flame Alchemy in public.

In the three weeks that Riza had been in Central, they had spent most of their time cloistered in Roy's apartment, so he could study the lines etched upon her back. He knew every single one of them by heart now. All he has to do was close his eyes, and he could see the dark red lines against her creamy skin. She was currently in basic training as Cadet Richard "Rick" Hawkeye before being sent off to officer training school. He hoped she was well. They had agreed not to exchange letters for fear of their ruse being discovered. He missed her presence, but this was what she had wanted, and he wasn't about to deny her that.

He had practice small things within the confines of the apartment and slightly larger attempts in an abandon lot, but Maes and Riza had been the only audience for that. There were close to a hundred spectators here today. His hands were shaking.

"Here." Maes thrust a small flask into his hands. "Drink that."

Roy eyed the metal container warily. "What is it?"

"Gracia's remedy for nervous. It won't impair your judgment, but it will take the edge off."

He shrugged and twisted off the cap, factitiously taking a sip. The liquid was warm and smooth, sliding down his throat and leaving a comforting heat in its wake. It tasted faintly of chamomile, honey, and spices,

Maes smiled. "Your wife also left something for you."

Roy took the thick manila envelop with a frown. He opened it to find a smile half sheet a paper reading:

_Roy,_

_I didn't give you my father's research, so you could chicken out at the final step. These are for you. I hope they help. And remember that matches or a lighter will also provide a spark, and don't get wet or you'll be useless._

_Riza_

He could almost hear her reading the note aloud. It definitely sounded like her.

Inside the envelope was a pair of thick white gloves. Carefully embroidered on their backs was the transmutation circle he had crafted from the array on her back. Roy examined the gloves more closely and found they were pyrotechnic fabric. Slipping them on he experimentally rubbed his fingers together, the friction causing a spark. Concentrating more closely this time, Roy snapped. A small flame leapt from his fingertips.

Roy grinned. Now he was ready.


	10. A Little Havoc

**A Little Havoc**

It really wasn't as bad as she had expected. Riza had gone into basic training with the expectation it would be six weeks of misery, but given the fact that she was very good at following orders, it had turned out to be a quite a bit easier than expected. Physically, it was more demanding than she was used to, but other than that it wasn't that much different than living with her father. There was just someone else giving her orders.

Riza wasn't as naive to not know had it not been for two things she might have been in trouble. She was one of the smallest in her group and had a boy's slender build even after weeks of training. But everyone had seen her shoot. Between that and the fact that she seemed to have picked up an adopted older brother, no one had given her a hard time.

She had meet Jean Havoc her first day of basic. She had been imitated and nervous about her ability to pull off the disguise of Rick Hawkeye when an arm had wrapped around her shoulders.

"How'd a little guy like you get in here? You can't be more than sixteen."

"Nineteen last May." She met a pair of blue eyes. "Rick Hawkeye."

"Jean Havoc." He grinned at her. "Nineteen? Honestly, kiddo, you look sixteen. You sure this is a good idea?"

She felt safe enough to let her teeth show a little. "Ever seen me shoot?"

"Nope. Any good?"

Riza grinned. "Let's just say that any concerns the brass had about me were very quickly dispelled."

Havoc had laughed. "Stick with me then. If you're that good, no one will notice if my aim's off."

And to her surprise, he had stuck with her throughout their training. In fact, he wasn't a bad shot himself. The two of them had been quickly assigned to sniper training, and Riza found herself with her first real friend outside of Roy, Maes and Gracia. It helped that Havoc was willing not to ask questions about her past for the most part. He didn't know that she was female either, Riza was not about to risk being found out by anyone at this point, but she had trusted him enough to answer honestly when he'd asked about her reasons for enlisting.

"I mean, you're a smart kid. It's not like the military's your only choice."

She bit her lip. "I have a friend who believes that the military can protect and support the people of Amestris. I want to be a part of that."

Havoc had simply accepted that. And when their orders to ship out to Ishbal came, Riza felt more than relieved that they were in the same unit. She didn't know what was going to happen, but at least she would have someone to watch her back. Now, if only she had some assurance that someone was watching Roy's back.


	11. Into the Desert

**Into the Desert**

She hoped he never came here. Riza knew Ishbal could destroy Roy. He had wanted to protect people with his alchemy, not slaughter them. Ishbal would turn him into the monster her father had feared. It was bad enough that she was here, but at least she had a few things to distract her mind from the atrocities she was committing.

Riza had her identity to worry about. She had survived basic training with her cover of Rick Hawkeye intact, but this was different. Ishbal stripped away any trace of civility after a while, and she was on her guard every minute. She had little doubt what would happen to her if she was discovered here. She would be better off being killed in action.

So she was wary when awake and tried to avoid the nightmares when she slept, and throughout it all, she hoped that Roy would never see the desert.

* * *

He hoped she never came here. Roy didn't ever want Riza to see this. She had believed him when he'd said that he'd joined the military to help and protect people, and this made everything he'd said a lie. There was no reason to this slaughter. And he didn't want her to see the monster he'd become. She had trusted him with her father's research, and he had gone off and become everything his teacher feared.

Roy did his best to not to think. Nightmares haunted him even awake anymore. He had to get through this though. He refused to contemplate what could happen if he was killed before the war ended. The flame alchemy was too important to the military, and they knew that he hadn't invented it. If the war was still going on when he died, they would look for the source, and they would find Riza. It would take time, yes, but they had the resources to discover her eventually. The idea of someone like Kimbly studying her tattoo chilled his blood.

So he did his best to stay sane and stay alive, and throughout it all, he hoped that Riza would never see the desert.


	12. Change of Command

**Change of Command**

Jean Havoc had to admit he was a little concerned when he found out they were being reassigned. Ishbal had been a nightmare from the start, but at least he and Hawkeye had been kept together. When the orders came for them to be reassigned to the same unit, he was relieved, but Hawkeye's nervousness had simply increased. Hawkeye had been edgy ever since arriving in Ishbal, but he always was worse when they were being moved around. Jean didn't know what secret the kid was hiding, but he never liked working with new people, and superior officers always made Hawkeye edgy.

Still, there was nothing he could do about it except keep an eye on his friend, and so they reported for duty at their new campsite. The pair was directed towards two dark haired men sitting by the campfire.

Havoc saluted. "Havoc and Hawkeye reporting for duty, sir."

One of the men's head shot up at that, and Hawkeye took a sharp breath. There was a flicker of something in the man's eyes, but he rose and smiled at them, holding out a hand.

"Major Roy Mustang. Feel free to set up your tent and get settled. Dinner's in a few hours, and we're not expected to have an assignment until tomorrow."

He shook Jean's hand and then Hawkeye's, and Jean would swear that their hands lingered in each other's longer than necessary. Hawkeye seemed completely at ease with the man which was something he'd never seen before. Even when it was just himself and Hawkeye, the young man typically kept up his guard.

As they set up their tent, Havoc finally asked the question that had been bothering him since their introduction their new commanding officer.

"So, what's the deal with you and the major?"

"My father was his alchemy teacher. We grew up together." Hawkeye bit his lip. "He's closer to my sister than he is to me really."

"Sister? You've never mentioned her before."

Hawkeye shrugged. "There's not much to tell."

"Come on, Rick. How old is she? Is she pretty? Will you introduce me to her?"

"She's about my age. I don't really know if she's pretty. She's just my sister." He seemed to be blushing. "I suppose I could introduce you when all this is over, but she's fairly devoted to Mister, I mean Major, Mustang."

Jean sighed. "Ah well. There's plenty of girls out there."

It wasn't lost on him that Hawkeye disappeared later that evening as did Mustang. But despite the prior relationship, Mustang didn't seem to be favoring Hawkeye over any of the other guys. In fact, Jean was pretty sure Mustang was the reason Hawkeye had joined the military in the first place. Not that he could blame him. Roy Mustang had to be the best CO he'd had to date. The man hated this place as much as the rest of them and made very little of the fact that he outranked them. Oh, he expected them to follow his orders, but he never made them stand on ceremony. The only time things ever got formal was when there was an inspection by the brass.

Still, there were some things that worried him about his new CO. They had barely been with the new unit a week when orders were delivered to destroy a town on the edge of the area they patrolled along. They were joined by the Crimson Alchemist unit for the mission. It was Havoc's first time actually seeing their CO's alchemy in action. What they had found was not the enemy stronghold they had expected but what appeared to be simply a village. Crimson had launched right into an attack, but Mustang had just stood there horrified until Crimson had taunted him. And then he had snapped.

Hawkeye's face had gone blank as fire poured over the village, but he had calmly shot any who presented a threat to the alchemist. But what really struck Jean was the look in his commander's eyes which he could see clearly through his scope. The man appeared to be in physical pain over this.

Afterwards Mustang was withdrawn and abrupt. They returned to the campsite in silence, Mustang disappearing once they arrived. Havoc caught sight of him later, perched on one of the dunes above the camp. When he didn't return for dinner, Hughes and Hawkeye traded glances, and Hawkeye rose to his feet.

"I'll talk to him."

Hughes frowned. "Be careful, Rick. He's not at his most composed right now."

"Trust me, I understand. Who better?" Rick smiled. "He won't hurt me, Maes."

He and Hughes watched as Hawkeye trekked up the dune to sit beside Mustang. Hughes sighed.

"What was that about?" Jean knew there had to be more to this.

Hughes just sighed again. "Rick's father was Roy's alchemy teacher. He was the one to come up with flame alchemy in the first place. He was also unwilling to teach it to Roy when he learned Roy was interested in the military. It was Rick's sister who gave him the research once their father had died. I think both Rick and Roy blame themselves for the destruction it has caused."

He just shook his head. "Neither of them are responsible for starting this war or issuing the orders. They just follow them. If they didn't, they'd be just as dead as the Ishbalans."

Jean knew soldiers who had learned that the hard way.

"You know that, and I know that, but I'm not sure they believe it." Hughes shook his head. "Hawkeye will keep him from doing anything stupid, and Mustang will do the same for Hawkeye. They just have to keep reminding each other of what they have to live for."

"The sister?"

Hughes nodded. "In part. And each other. They're the closest thing to family the other has."

He yawned. "All right. If they're in good hands, then I'm going to bed."

Ishbal was still hell. That hadn't changed. But if he had to be here, Havoc would admit that this was not the worst group of people to be stuck with.


	13. Dirty Little Secret

**Dirty Little Secret**

They had been lucky. Roy was willing to admit that. His unit had been casualty free since the arrival of Havoc and Hawkeye. He should have known it couldn't last. They were caught in the middle of a fire fight, and he didn't dare use his alchemy given the ammunition store behind them. So they were limited to regular firearms, and the enemy had greater numbers. Of course, they had Havoc and Hawkeye which evened out the playing field some.

Hunkered between Hawkeye and Maes, Roy flinched every time a bullet made impact. He hated being useless. At this point about all he was good for was tending any injuries that occurred and reload the guns for his men. He could shoot, yes, but it wasn't his strongest skill. His alchemy was his most useful skill.

"Shit." It exploded from Hawkeye's lips.

Roy turned to find her slumped beside him. The left side of her uniform was stained.

"Ri-Rick!" He turned her so he could a better look at the wound. "Hughes, get over here!"

The bullet had gone straight through thankfully and application of pressure was slowing the bleeding, but this wasn't something he could fix with a bandage. Hawkeye would need to see a doctor for sure, and surgery was a possibility. He couldn't tell how bad the damage was. This would be the end for Rick Hawkeye as far as he could tell. There was no way the doctor wouldn't notice the fact that he was actually a she.

"Roy."

He followed Maes' eyes. The bleeding had slowed, but it hadn't stopped, and her face was ashen. They had to stop the bleeding or it wouldn't matter if a doctor had to see Riza or not. Roy bit his lip; there was something he could try, but he wasn't sure if it would work or if he could pull it off, and he didn't want to risk Riza's life on the off chance he could remember what his mother had taught him.

"Major, what happened to Hawkeye?" Havoc called from above. "We need him covering our flank."

"Not going to happen. Keep them off us, and I think I can keep Hawkeye with us," he called back.

With fingers wet with Hawkeye's blood, Roy traced out a transmutation on her skin, hoping that he remembered it right. Holding his breath, he activated it. The flow of blood slowed, and this time when he applied the bandage, it didn't soak through.

"We take her to Dr. Knox," Maes whispered. "He'll treat her no questions asked. Then we send her to Gracia. We'll have to figure things out from there."

Roy nodded and wrapped his coat around Hawkeye. She was still pale, but her pulse was good. If they survived the fire fight, her chances of making it were good. A pair of pain filled eyes met his. Roy kissed her forehead, making sure she was tucked under some sort of cover, before returning to their front line.

"Find me a target," he told Havoc. "There has to something I can do with out blowing us all up."


	14. Homeward Bound

**Homeward Bound**

"Have you heard from Rick?"

Roy did his best not to twitch at Havoc's question. "He's safe."

It was nominally true. Hawkeye had safely made it to Gracia's and was currently being taken care of by Gracia and her grandfather. According to Gracia, she would make a full recovery. However, Rick Hawkeye was currently listed as a deserter. His wound hadn't been considered serious enough to warrant being sent back to Amestris, and when he had disappeared, things had not gone well for him.

It was an oversight he and Maes had not thought of in their rush to keep the military from finding out that Rick Hawkeye was a woman. And it had made for some awkward questions from Havoc. Of all the men in the unit, he was the only one who knew anything about the connections between Mustang and Hawkeye, and he wanted to know what had become of his friend. Especially, now that they were being sent home.

It was a distraction that Mustang didn't need. Not now that he had his goals. He needed to be focused on climbing to the top of the military if he wanted to keep something like Ishbal from ever happening again. Havoc was a good man to have on his side, but if he was going to make it to the top, Roy needed people he could trust and people who could trust him. And that left him in a quandary.

On the one hand, he was fairly certain he could trust Havoc with most of his secrets. The man had proved himself during the war. But on the other hand, he had been close to Hawkeye and might feel betrayed by the fact that Hawkeye hadn't trusted him with her secret. Betrayal could do strange things to a person, and Roy hadn't come this far risk every thing on this one judgment call. Besides, it was really Riza's secret to tell, and Havoc would probably take it better coming from her than if Mustang just told him.

"You've said that before. Come on, Major. I know you know something."

He did his best not to snap at the man. Roy was exhausted, depressed, and there was still another three hours before they reached Central. There were rumors of a promotion and his own team in the air, and Roy wasn't about to risk that. He couldn't fail before he'd even started.

"Havoc, I really can't talk about it."

The other man caught his arm, forcing Roy to meet his eyes. "Can you give me your word that he is safe?"

Roy held the man's gaze. It was clear that Havoc was not going to let this drop until he was satisfied with his friend's safety. This was a test of trust for them both, one that could either gain or loose Roy a valuable ally.

"Hawkeye is safe, Havoc. I've done everything in my power to make sure of that."

Havoc kept his gaze for a minute more before breaking into a grin. "Okay then, boss. So what's next? Drinks on the town? I'm sure the girls will love a pair of war heroes."

There were shadows in the other man's eyes, and Roy knew that Havoc was haunted by Ishbal just as he was. The grin and skirt chasing were just masks. They might have left the desert, but they hadn't healed yet. He didn't know if they ever would. Roy didn't know what would help Havoc, but he knew that he just wanted to see his wife and start planning the take over of the Amestrian military. He didn't know if that would help, but it was the only thing he could think of to do to make sure Ishbal could never happen again. And maybe that would make the nightmares stop.


	15. Darkest Before the Dawn

**Darkest Before the Dawn**

He woke sweating. Roy gasped in the dark, searching for something recognizable. Gentle hands, rough with calluses, found his shoulders, drawing him against another body.

"Roy? I'm here. It's just a dream." Riza's voice pulled him back from the desert to the little flat he rented in Central.

He latched on to her, burying his face in her shoulder, and let her arms and her scent surround him. Her hands ran through his hair. Roy sighed against Riza's skin. It was a familiar routine now. There hadn't been one night in the past two months that one of them hadn't awoke in terror from nightmares. They were still trapped in Ishbal in their dreams. At least, he didn't have to wake up alone.

Neither of them had yet to put it behind them. Sometimes he wondered if they ever would. These days his days were filled with paperwork, and his evenings were spent with Maes, Riza, and Gracia making plans. The only way to keep another Ishbal from ever happening was to change who was in power, and that would take time and patience. Roy knew there was a promotion in the works for him, but it would take months to go through, and it was only the first step.

Roy sighed against Riza's skin. He didn't know what he would do without her. She was his safety. This marriage of theirs had been something to protect her freedom. But it seemed to have become something more essential for them both. Riza was strong, he had always known that, but he would never forget the sight of Riza, sobbing into his shoulder and begging for forgiveness after one of her own nightmares. He knew she was one of the few things that kept his sanity intact. He hoped that he was at least providing some comfort to her.

"Roy?" There was a trace of a yawn in her voice. She and Gracia had been out early today.

He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and shifted them so he was no longer resting on top of her. Riza snuggled into his shoulder, tucking her head underneath his chin. Roy draped an arm over her stomach and sighed. At least there were some things in this world that still felt right.


	16. In the Office

**In the Office**

He had his own office. Well, technically, it was his unit's office, but still, it was his domain. Roy's promotion hadn't been that much of a surprise. He had known it was coming after Ishbal. But he hadn't really realized that it would mean leaving Central. He had been given a unit of his own assigned to East City. It was a step forward in his plans. There was only one drawback.

Riza had stayed in Central. She and Gracia were too involved in the work they were doing for his plans for her to leave anytime soon. So he had come to the Eastern Headquarters alone. His subordinates had started arriving even before he did. There were four men in his unit, and he and Hughes had carefully selected all of them. They weren't going to take any chances with this plan. To succeed, Roy had to have people he could trust surrounding him.

Havoc had been an obvious choice. He had already proved himself to be an asset, and Roy knew he could trust him. There was the small matter of the fact that he didn't know about Riza's real identity, but that could be dealt with. Kain Fuery was young, but his talent with communications equipment more than made up for that. Then there was Vato Falman, an incredibly sharp warrant officer. With his attention to detail and photographic memory, he was clearly someone that would be of help. He had little to no field experience, but that was something that could be remedied. And lastly he had Heymans Breda, ranked first in his class in the academy. The man was a talented tactician and strategist, and Roy was sure they'd need his skills eventually.

They weren't quite a team yet. Roy knew they still had work to do on that. It would take time. He was pretty sure all of his new subordinates trusted him to some extent, but they didn't trust each other yet, and for them to work as a team, they would need to. It was something that he was going to have to work on. Still, even with the five of them occupying the office space, it felt like something as missing. There was some niche in his staff that still wasn't filled. Roy wasn't sure what it was, but he could feel the lack. Or it could be the fact that he missed Riza.

Either way, there was still work to do, and he didn't have his lovely wife to remind him to get his paperwork done. That would be the challenge of his career: keeping up with the mundane details of a command.


	17. An Officer's Wife

**An Officer's Wife**

"Excuse me."

Jean looked up from his desk to find a young woman standing in the office door. "Can I help you, ma'am?"

"I'm looking for Roy Mustang."

"He's in a meeting, ma'am, but if you leave your name, I'll let him know you stopped by."

"Riza Mustang. I'll just wait for him, if that's all right?"

Her face reminded him a lot of Rick, and Havoc had to wonder if this was Hawkeye's sister. But she had said her name was Mustang, so this must be one of the Lt. Colonel's sisters. At least, he didn't think the colonel was married.

"Of course. There's a chair over here if you'd like to sit. I'm not sure how long the Lt. Colonel will be."

He watched her as she took the seat he had indicated. She was very pretty, dressed in a long beige skirt with a white jacket over a black top. It was simple but classy. She seemed to be in the midst of growing out her blond hair which currently reached just past her shoulders. The most striking thing about her was her eyes. Like Rick's, they were a shade somewhere between burgundy and mahogany. She set her purse on her lap and pulled out a book.

As she seemed quite to content to read her book, Jean went back to his paperwork. The others should be back in the office soon. Breda was out sick, but both Falman and Fuery were currently out running errands. And that left him alone in the office without a clue how to treat this woman. The colonel had never had women show at his office before, which was rather surprising now that he thought about it. His CO was fairly popular with the ladies though he never really encouraged them. Havoc figured that was due to the mysterious sister of Hawkeye's that Mustang was supposedly very close to.

Thankfully, he was saved from having to worry about how to treat her by his commander's return. Mustang and General Hakuro came into the office, deep in conversation. Miss. Mustang rose to her feet, leaving her purse and her book on her chair.

"Roy."

The next thing Jean knew the woman was in Mustang's arms. His CO kept an arm around when he pulled back from the hug.

"General Hakuro, this is Riza Mustang, my wife."

The general blinked. "I wasn't aware you were married. Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Mustang."

They made polite small talk with the general for a few minutes more before he left. Mustang embraced the woman again, this time kissing her thoroughly.

"What are you doing here? Not that I mind, but I thought you were tied up in Central for the foreseeable future."

"Gracia and I finished our work with the local hospitals, and both Maes and Gracia thought it would be all right if I came and joined you here." A soft blush covered her cheeks. "I missed you."

Mustang smiled. "I missed you too. Paperwork is boring."

She laughed. "It's your own fault. You knew it came with the job."

He turned her towards Havoc. "Havoc, this is my wife, Riza. Riza, this is Jean Havoc, one of my officers."

She smiled at him, offering a hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Nothing too bad, I hope." He shook her hand. "I do have a question though. Are you Rick's sister? You remind me of him quite a bit."

Riza Mustang bit her lip. "Yes and no. It's complicated."

She shared a look with her husband, and Mustang ran a hand through his hair.

"Would you be interested in joining us for dinner, Havoc? There are a couple of things I'd like to discuss with you."

Now that was interesting. Jean had known his boss was up to something. Given what they had gone through in Ishbal, he wasn't surprised. Mustang had clearly wanted to fix things then, and Jean doubted that had changed.

"Sure. What time should I come?"


	18. Laying Plans

**Laying Plans**

Riza was nervous. Havoc was coming over for dinner, and they were going to let him in on their secrets: Roy's plans and her identity. Or rather, Hawkeye's identity. Havoc would be the first outside of Maes and Gracia to know about Roy's plans. And part of Roy's reluctance to tell his lieutenant about those plans was the fact that Havoc considered Rick Hawkeye his best friend and might feel rather betrayed to find out that Rick Hawkeye was really Riza Mustang.

Still, they both trusted Havoc enough to let him in the secret, and with any luck the evening would be a success. Roy was cooking for them, and thankfully, his apartment hadn't been too much of a mess. It had taken her less than two hours to get it guest worthy, and now she was at a loss for what to do. The table was set, dinner was cooking, and anything else she could do would just be busy work. Riza settled for rearranging the flowers Roy had insisted on buying for her on their way home.

A brisk knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. Riza took a deep breath and answered the door. Havoc waited there, dressed in civilian attire. He smiled at her nervously.

"Good evening, Mrs. Mustang."

"Riza, please. Come in."

He followed her into the apartment, and Riza found herself babbling slightly to relieve her nerves.

"Roy's fixing dinner. I hope you don't mind Xing food." She smiled. "He cooks much better than I do with most things."

"I brought this for you." Havoc held out a bottle of wine.

"Thank you."

Roy saved them from further awkward conversation by popping out of the kitchen.

"Havoc," Roy smiled. "Dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes."

"Thank you for inviting me, boss."

"No problem. And we're off duty; you can call me Roy. Would you like something to drink? There's wine, beer, or tea."

"I'll have a beer, thanks."

Awkwardness resumed as the three of them settled in the living room. Riza nervously played with her tea cup as she searched for the right way to bring up the issues they had to discussed. They had to deal with the tension sooner or later.

"You asked if I was Rick Hawkeye's sister, and I told you yes and no." Riza smiled wryly. "Richard Hawkeye would have been my brother's name if I had one. As it stands, Rick Hawkeye was me."

Havoc gaped at her, and Roy surreptitiously slipped his hand into hers.

"You're joking."

Roy shook his head. "The military doesn't take women, and Riza needed both to disappear for awhile and a job. She didn't have the skills to get one someplace else. So we invented Rick."

Havoc blinked, processing the story, and Riza held her breath. This was the real test. If Havoc could accept their deception and still trust them, then Roy's plans would be well entrusted to him.

"So, you're not really Riza Mustang. You're Riza Hawkeye."

"No," Roy smiled, "she's Riza Mustang. We needed to make Riza Hawkeye disappear, and the easiest way to do that was to get married. It's turned out to be one of the better parts of the plan."

"Huh." Havoc frowned. "I want the whole story. There has to be more to this."

With the ice broken, Roy and Riza found themselves telling the full story as their dinner finished cooking as was moved to the table. By the time the meal was finished, the entire story had been told, including Roy's plans for the future. The one thing that was left out was the array. It was too private and too dangerous. As it was, only five people in the world knew about the array, and that was risky enough.

They moved on to dessert and stories of Havoc and Riza's time in boot camp. The evening wound down, and Riza found herself quite pleased with how things had gone. Havoc had taken their deception rather well once he had the full story behind it, and it was clear that he was willing to support Roy's plans. When Havoc finally left, they had gained another supporter, and Roy had made another step towards the top.

Riza sighed as she sank into the couch. One more step taken on the long road to the top. It was slow going, but at least it was progress. Roy sat down beside her, slipping his hand into hers.

"I think that went well." He fiddled with their linked fingers. "Now, I just have to figure out when and how to let everyone else in the office know about the plans. I think Breda or Falman is next."

"Mmm." She was too tired to even think about that right now.

He leaned his forehead against hers. "I love you, Riza."

Her breath caught. He had never said it before. Meant it, implied it, but never outright said it. Riza smiled.

"I love you too."

"Good." He sighed. "Bed?"

Riza nodded. Curled up in bed with her husband, she found herself at peace. They still had a long way to go, but for tonight, she was content.


End file.
